SCIENCE TEACHER

Environmental biology
Transpiration SW-BIO-INT-0015

Objectives
• To observe transpiration.
• To understand that transpiration involves the loss of water from a plant.

Instructions
You will need: a potted plant such as hibiscus, pot with watered soil but no plant, cobalt
chloride paper, two bell jars or large glass bowls, Vaseline™ or Blu-tac™, two polythene bags,
two large elastic bands.

Bell jar

Healthy plant

Polythene bag
Pot with well
watered soil
Vaseline
seal

Glass plate
Cobalt chloride paper

1. Set up two sets of apparatus. One will be your control and one your experiment. Both must
be side-by-side next to an open window in sunlight.
2. Place the pot of watered soil inside a polythene bag, and use an elastic band to seal the bag
around the pot. This is the control.
3. Place the healthy, well watered, potted plant inside a second polythene bag. Use an elastic
band to seal the bag around the pot and the stem of the plant, but ensure the leaves are
uncovered. This is the experiment.
4. Place cobalt chloride paper next to each pot.
5. Put a bell jar or glass bowl over each pot and the cobalt chloride paper.
6. Place Vaseline™ or Blu-tac™ around the bottom of each jar or bowl to seal the edges.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008

 SCIENCE TEACHER

Questions
1. What do you expect to see after 2 hours? Why?
2. What will increase the rate of transpiration?
3. Why is it important to put the plants in sunlight next to an open window?
4. Why do plants transpire?
5. 90% of transpiration occurs through the stomata on the leaves. Where does the rest occur?
6. Why is it important to seal the bottom of the bell jar?

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008